


Second Chances

by intomyfantasy



Series: 23:59 [1]
Category: Mewgulf
Genre: Canon Compliant, It WAS supposed to be a one shot, M/M, also i didn't have the time to proof it all, but it came out longer than intended, do I need to say more, so yeah you're getting a two shot instead, this fiction is basically about mewgulf first encounter and first kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21684412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intomyfantasy/pseuds/intomyfantasy
Summary: Mew doesn't need anything more than a second chance.
Relationships: Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat/Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong
Series: 23:59 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563004
Comments: 100
Kudos: 874





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [柳暗花明 Chinese edition of Second Chances](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943976) by [telljiezou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/telljiezou/pseuds/telljiezou)



> **Chinese translation is also available[here](https://www.lofter.com/blog/telljiezoudabaobei).**
> 
> DISCLAIMER! This fiction digs deep into Mew's private (not so private at this point, unfortunately) life. I tried to mention it in the most delicate way possible, but it was impossible not to address it in a story written from his point of view, so be aware of that!
> 
> The first part of this two-shot is all about the audition, so I would highly recommend checking out this [twitter thread](https://twitter.com/net_drifter/status/1200871442897915909) before reading it. Have fun!
> 
> (Part two is already written, I just need to proof it, so it will be out soon. I'm sorry for splitting it TT)

Mew didn’t know what he was trying to prove, if anything.

He was busy with his dissertation and lectures and he really didn’t need to add a full time job on top of it. It wasn’t a necessary source of income either – his family was rich enough that he wouldn’t need to lift a finger for his whole life if he just so decided.

He snorted, checked the rearview mirror for incoming cars, and changed lane.

Maybe it was a matter of pride, or maybe he really liked acting and didn’t want to give up on it, or maybe he only wanted a chance to clear his name. He wasn’t sure. What he knew was that every time an audition announcement for a new BL series came out, he felt compelled to try it.

After failing the one for 2Moons2, he was now directed to the one for TharnType The Series.

Mew stopped at a red light and sighed.

No matter how many times he did it, nerves always got to him. A senior in the industry had told him that it got better with time once, but things hand’t developed normally for him and, if anything, showing up for auditions now was more nerve-wracking than the very first time.

Nobody knew him then, he was just a newbie who hoped to do well… but everyone knew him now.

The light turned green, and Mew drove the rest of the way with the taste of bile poisoning the back of his throat.

\----

His fan club welcomed him as soon as he got off the car and Mew knew right then, greeting them with a thankful smile, that there was no going back from this.

He did this every time – announce that he was going to audition for a series before he actually showed up, because seeing fans there for him actually gave him the courage to go all the way. If there was something he absolutely despised, it was to disappoint people who believed in him, so when he saw their supporting expressions, he always found the motivation he was missing to take that small step forward.

He received his fans gifts and good wishes with a thankful heart. Took a few quick pictures with some of them and eventually entered the audition venue, with his head held high and his fan club following right behind him.

A hush immediately fell on the room at his entrance. He looked around in search of familiar faces, but was actually relieved to find none familiar enough to require proper greeting or small talk. He didn't know any of the actors present for the audition personally, but he could tell by the silence and the glances that most were giving him, that they knew _him_.

For a moment, he felt wonky on his legs, like a baby deer still learning how to stand properly, but the shutter of a camera reminded him of his fans and Mew quickly took a hold of his nerves, metaphorically choking them in a death grip.

Whatever anyone in that room thought, he was a professional and he was going to prove it with his skills and nothing else.

He moved to the reception desk, looking unbothered by the atmosphere around him - he was an actor, after all - and announced himself to the girl sitting behind the desk. After recording his presence, she gave him a thin booklet containing the scene that he was supposed to audition with, and invited him to study it while he waited for his turn.

His fans gathered in a corner of the room and left him alone while he concentrated on his job.

He took his time to read the few lines that he was supposed to recite, not surprised at all to find out that he would have to enact a kiss scene with a partner. It was very common for BLs auditions to test the chemistry between actors that way. Apparently, he was going to try the same scene with all Type's candidates.

He raised his head to look around the room and wondered how many people were there for that role. He had no way to tell and nobody would talk to him, but he imagined that the candidates were probably equally split between Tharn and Type.

Among the contestants, his eyes fell on the boy sitting at the table on his left. He seemed to be staring at the surface of the table, his hands tucked under his legs and a bored expression on his face. He was surrounded by a few other... actors? Friends, it looked like. They were glaring around the room like bodyguards hired to protect the president himself. 

Mew wondered if he had ever seen the boy before, but didn't recognize his features. He seemed young, though he could tell by the length of his legs that he must be tall (maybe taller than him), and he was handsome enough that Mew was sure he wouldn't have forgotten him if he’d ever seen him.

At a closer inspection, he realized that the boy actually looked more out of his depth and kinda nervous than bored, but that was true for most people around there. Mew could tell that he was looking at a newbie, probably one of those straight, aspiring actors that only turned to BLs when the main entertainment industry didn't spare them a chance. It wasn't uncommon, 99% of the men in that room was most probably straight, but for some reason Mew felt a spike of annoyance while looking at that clueless face in the crowd.

One of the boy's friend caught him looking and Mew finally diverted his eyes, tasting bitterness on his tongue.

Who was he to judge anyone in that room? Hadn't he been one of them too at the beginning? Just because it had turned out that he was part of the odd 1% that wasn't straight, it didn't mean he was any better than them. Most would actually agree that he was the worst one. He couldn't even blame them.

Mew sighed, quietly, and resigned himself to wait for auditions to start.

\----

It seemed like around 100 candidates had showed up for Type’s role, and Mew had to enact the kiss scene assigned to him with all of them in front of the “judging board”, which was basically composed by the director of the series, P’Tee, the writer of the novels, P’Mame, and a few other significant members of the staff.

He had already met at least 20 Types by now, but so far he had not found a single actor that fit the role. Sure, it wasn't his place to judge, but his partner's incompetence reflected badly on him too. The audition was more of a chemistry test then an acting one, and he had yet to feel any sparks. The fact that most people knew him for what had happened in the past also didn't help. It was impossible to conjure chemistry when your partner was either scared or disgusted by you.

Maybe he was too paranoid, but he felt like some of the candidates were sabotaging his audition on purpose. He couldn't blame them if they disliked him, but their unprofessionalism was unacceptable and made him feel like punching a few square in the face. It was pointless, though. He didn’t want to enact a love story with someone who hated his guts or was scared of him anyway.

The next Type entered the audition room to join him in front of the production team and Mew's thoughts came to a sudden halt.

Oh, it was the boy he had noticed earlier in the waiting room. Since he was so tall and masculine he thought he was going to try for Tharn’s role. This was an unexpected surprise.

The boy greeted him with a Wai, a small bow, and a sweet smile as soon as their eyes met and Mew reciprocated, feeling quite taken aback.

In the sea of reclutant and awkward greetings he had received up until that point, the boy (Gulf, he introduced himself to the board) had looked at him straight in the eyes without a trace of dislike. Curiosity, maybe, but the good kind.

Mew could work with that.

Before the board could give them the cue to start, Mew stepped to their table and picked the script that he had left there earlier.

He went back to his spot in the middle of the room, where Gulf was waiting for him with a mildly confused expression, then, without warning, he recited his first line.

If he had taken Gulf by surprise, the boy didn't show it, immediately following his example by reciting his own line and morphing his expression accordingly.

Mew felt a thrill of excitement run along his back.

He took the needed step forward to invade Gulf's personal space without breaking eye contact, and slowly raised his hand to rest it on the boy's cheek.

Gulf didn't flinch, his eyes didn't waver. On the contrary, it almost felt like he was leaning in his touch, exactly how it was supposed to be. Type said he hated him… but he _wanted_ him. That was the whole permise of the show and exactly what Gulf's body language was silently telling him. The boy’s stance was rigid, each and every one of his muscles tight and locked in place, but his head was slightly tilted towards his touch, his eyes unwavering and burning.

Mew felt like he was being pulled towards him and, before he knew it, he tilted his head and started to get closer to Gulf's lips.

Differently from his previous tries, he didn't stop a few centimeters away from Gulf’s mouth. Instead, he slided the booklet he was still still holding in his free hand between them, right under their noses, and went in for the kiss.

He closed his eyes, feeling the pressure of Gulf's lips on the other side of the thin booklet and the warmth of his breath through the paper.

He held the kiss for a while to convey Tharn's need, then, slowly, stepped back.

What he found when he opened his eyes made his heart skip a beat.

Not only did Gulf look shocked, his whole face was on fire. His neck, the top of his chest and even his ears were beat red. He looked so flustered that Mew couldn't help a breathy laugh.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The whole room had erupted in excited murmors. P'Mame suddenly stood up, but she tried to recompose herself and sit back down before she could give her thoughts away.

"I'm okay, just surprised," answered Gulf, and he actually tripped on his own words while trying to reassure him. That made his blush darken even more and the boy looked away while touching his warm ears.

That was... cute. As hell.

Mew stared at the younger in wonder while he exited the room, sure that he didn't need to try that kiss with anyone else. If he was going to get the part, he didn't want any other Type but this one.

\----

After one more hour, he had finally gone through all Type's candidates.

Before he could leave the audition room, P’Mame called him to the table and asked him which actor he had liked to play with the most, out of all he had been paired with.

Even though there had been some other decent choices after Gulf, he didn’t hesitate with his answer, giving the boy’s name without a second doubt.

P’Mame studied him for a moment, as if she was considering something, then finally nodded.

She informed him that final cast was going to be announced at 8 PM and that he could leave the venue in the meantime.

Mew thanked the board and excused himself.

Once back in the waiting room, he finally joined his fan club, still diligently and orderly waiting for him in a corner of the room. Their faces immediately brightened up when they saw him and they welcomed him with a chorus of excited _P’Mew!_ s.

He smiled widely at them and took a seat right in front of the group.

"P'Mew, how was the audition? Did it go well?" asked one of the girls in the back. Nong Keo, he reminded himself.

He tried to give an honest opinion on the whole experience, but it was hard to judge if he had done well or not. "I can't be sure,” he answered truthfully at the end, “but I did my best. They will announce the results later this evening," he informed them.

"I'm sure you’ll be casted, P'Mew! I've read the books and I totally pictured you when I read about Tharn!" commented another girl (Nong Cat) on the left.

He smiled, in equal parts thankful and surprised. "It doesn’t depend only on me. If you read the books, you know that chemistry between the main leads is very important for this role. It wasn't easy to find someone that... _fit_ with me," he admitted, and he really didn't need to add anything else. His current fan club was what was left of his fans after his separation from _that person_. They were the only ones that had decided to stay, a small group of twenty people that Mew didn’t think he deserved. They may be few, but they were loyal and understanding and his biggest source of motivation.

"Oh, but I think I saw someone who could be your Type!" chirped up excitedly the only boy in the group, Nong Bia.

Before Mew could question him, the boy had stretched his arm and was pointing at someone walking past only a few meters from them. “There!”

Mew turned to look and was met with a pair of startled, big eyes.

"Nong Gulf!" Bia called. "Do you mind posing for us for a second?"

Mew stared at the boy, staring back at them like he wanted to flee, and felt laughter climb the walls of his throat. Seriously? Of all people…

He turned to his funclub with a questioning eyebrow. “ _Nong_ Gulf?”

“We talked to him a bit while you were auditioning, Phi,” explained one of the girls, while a few of them stood up to grab Gulf by the arm and drag him to their spot.

Gulf seemed embarrassed, but he didn't refuse them, and his smile never faltered. "I'm sorry for interrupting your time with your fans, P'Mew," he excused himself, putting his hands together in a greeting.

"Please, don’t. Thank you for treating them well, I haven’t seen them so excited about someone in a while. You might steal them away from me," he joked, and a chorus of protest raised from the group.

Gulf answered all their questions about the audition gracefully, glancing towards him once in a while, as if he seeking reassurance that he was doing well.

Cute.

Once the group’s curiosity was satisfied, one of the girls asked Gulf to get closer to him to take a few commemorative pictures and the boy followed the instructions without complaining, smiling a sweet smile towards the camera.

Mew was... baffled, to say the least. He had no idea what his fan club was trying to do, if anything, but what was especially dumbfounding was the fact that they had singled out Gulf the same way he did. What had they seen in him, he wondered. Sure, he was a very, _very_ beautiful kid, but there had to be more than that, right?

After the shooting session, his fan club finally let Gulf go. The boy said goodbye sweetly to all of them, waving his hands while backing away, and was soon gone to rejoin his awaiting friends.

Mew regretted not talking to him more, but that wasn't the time, nor the place.

"Why did you ask him over?" he asked his fan club, once Gulf was far enough.

"Because you suit each other," was someone's immediate and excited answer, soon followed by a series of equally elated squeals that sounded suspiciously like _I think so too!_ s.

"And you talked to him earlier?"

"I tried to strike conversation with him while he was waiting for his turn to audition," answered Bia. "He’s so beautiful, I thought I would give it a try,” he continued cheekily. The rest of the group chuckled at his statement. “But he’s only 21 years old! A baby! I can’t do younger. I only have eyes for you, P’Mew!” he exclaimed dramatically.

Mew laughed. “You just said you wanted to ‘give it a try’.”

“I felt like a snack before the main course,” he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Someone actually tried to push him down to make him stop, while Mew just burst out laughing.

“Go on already, P’Bia!” complained one of the girls.

The boy recomposed himself with an offended expression. “Anyway, he’s very charming,” he started again, after fixing his hair, and everyone around him nodded. “And polite.”

And twenty-one, he reminded himself while Bia continued to sing Gulf’s praises. A kid all right. It was standard age for BL series, really, it just annoyed him to be reminded that he was getting too old for them.

"I see," he commented vaguely, when Bia was done. “And why do you think we suit each other?” he finally asked.

There was a pause, during which the members of his fan club looked at each other, seemingly to find a common answer to his question. One of the girls in the front bit her lip hesitantly, then finally said: “Because he looks at you like he could admire you if you gave him the chance.”

Ah.

_Yes_.

That was it.

What he had felt.

He couldn’t have found better words to express it if he tried.

It felt too good to express it, anyway.

“I see,” he repeated, with a smile. “Thank you, guys. Really.”

After some more small talk, his stomach started rumbling, and he deemed that it was time to go. "I don't want to keep you here all day, guys. It's past lunch time, have you eaten yet? Please go eat. I will leave myself for a few hours before coming back for the cast announcement, but you can't be here with me for that. I'll see you all next time?"

The group got up and agreed to leave, though they weren't very eager to do so. Most of the room followed them out of the venue with their eyes until they disappeared.

Mew went to collect his bag and his abandoned script (he was going to keep that, just as a memento), when he caught Gulf glancing at him from afar.

Before leaving, he greeted him with a Wai, and Gulf answered with one of his own, a big smile gracing his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please refer to the following videos to better follow the story:   
> \- [TEP interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCposbrobF4&t=626s) (I paraphrased it in the story, to make it easier to read. You only need to watch the first few minutes)  
> \- [First kiss interview](https://twitter.com/tharntype05/status/1197962147482832896)  
> \- [Call Me By Your Name's First Kiss Scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vEjFogIuCs)

When he came back, hours later, he found all aspiring Types and Tharns gathered in little groups, chatting away in wait of the announcement.

Mew looked around, trying to find a corner where he could settle, but the sides of the hall and the tables were all already occupied.

He was starting to consider the idea of waiting outside - everything was better than being isolated in the middle of the room, where anyone could stare and whisper about him - when a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned to his right and found Nong Gulf waving timidly at him, a friendly smile gracing his lips.

Mew was conflicted. Gulf was grouping with other actors. Most of them looked various levels of uncomfortable at his sight... or maybe he was being paranoid. Again.

For a moment he contemplated greeting the boy and leaving anyway, but his feet moved towards Gulf before he could come to a thought-out decision, stopping only when he was right in front of the younger.

He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, unsure of what he was supposed to do or say now that he was there.

“P’Mew,” Gulf greeted him, moving a few steps to give him some space.

"Hey," he answered, awkwardly, then turned to the rest of the group to greet them properly too. The other actors reciprocated his greeting, but soon went back to talk to one another, leaving Gulf slightly off their circle.

Mew winced.

He should have just gone outside.

He and Gulf weren't friends or anything. Barely acquitances. Mew only knew the boy’s name (nickname) and his age – that wasn’t enough for everyone else to lump them together, for fuck’s sake!

He thought to tell Gulf that he was going out for a smoke (even if he didn’t smoke), just to leave the younger alone, but the boy anticipated him.

“You’re just in time, Phi. I was wondering where you were."

Mew furrowed his brows, taken aback. “Why?”

Gulf looked at him straight in the eyes and gave him an innocent smile. “Why not?”

There was no way that the rest of the group wasn’t eavesdropping on them. Mew couldn’t tell if Gulf was really that naïve or if he was actually cunnier than he gave him credit for.

Either way, he couldn’t help a small smile at that answer. “Traffic was worse than I expected,” he explained.

Gulf nodded. “That’s Bangkok for you. Going anywhere is faster by foot.”

That brief exchange was enough to make him feel welcome, his nervousness melting away.

He took a small step closer to the boy and tilted his head to be closer to his ear, so that nobody else could hear him.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

When he stepped back, he realized that he did know something else about Gulf.

He observed the way his ear was starting to redden, the color spreading on the boy’s neck and face, and rejoiced in silence.

_He blushes easily._

\----

P'Mame and the director for the series came out of the audition room just a couple of minutes later and everyone in the hall immediately quieted in trepidation.

"Good evening, everyone. First of all, we are sorry for the long wait," P'Mame begun, "we had to discuss a few last details before announcing the actors that we have decided to cast as Tharn and Type. Before giving you the names, I want to thank every one of you for coming to audition. The budget for this series is limited, so I was very surprised by the number of people that showed up today. I'm very happy that you found this story interesting enough to give it a chance,” she continued. “To be honest, after the first few hours spent supervising the auditions, I thought I would never be able to choose the right Tharn and Type. So many of you did so well, and it seemed like there was going to be a long discussion with my colleagues to come to a joint conclusion, but... there was a couple that stood up to all of us. Tharn and Type are complex characters by themselves," she explained, “but, most importantly, they are a synergic duo. Their whole relationship is based on chemistry so strong that they can't ignore it, even if one is homophobic and the other swore he would never hit on a straight guy. That's why I made you rehearse a kiss scene during the audition. I wanted to test your acting skills, obviously, but I especially wanted to test your chemistry with your partners.”

Most actors in the room nodded. They had all gathered as much that morning.

“There were two of you in particular that made my hair stand up in the audition room. When I asked them which one of their partners they liked the most, they were also the only ones to answer each other. That really gave me and the rest of the team the conformation we needed." She paused to look around the room, where everyone was starting to get nervous.

They had chosen each other?

Mew thought about it. He had chosen Gulf, but… who had Gulf chosen?

"It's with a lot of excitement that I announce the following actors cast for the filming of TharnType The Series. In the role of Type...”

A pause.

“Gulf Kanawut."

Right next to him, Gulf's eyes became so big, Mew thought they would pop out of his head.

The room erupted in an applause and P'Mame invited Gulf to join them.

When Mew saw that the boy still wasn’t moving, he gave him a little nudge.

Gulf turned to him for a second before leaving his spot, exclaiming “P’Mew!” with an excited smile. He immediately pressed his lips together before he could add something else and left with a cute wince. As if he had just revealed something he shouldn’t have…

_No way…_

The production team welcomed Gulf among them, patting the boy on his back to congratulate him.

Once he was all settled, P'Mame finally continued.

“Congratulations again, Nong Gulf. You must already know whose name I’m going to call now.”

Gulf’s lips parted in a big smile. “Yes.”

P’Mame turned to the room again. “In the role of Tharn...”

_Shit, shit, shit, it was only wishful thinking wasn’t it? There was no way…_

“Mew Suppasit.”

Mew's head hanged lifelessly for a second, the room falling in a strained silence.

He felt laughter climb its way up his throat and tears pickle his eyes.

_Shit..._

Had that one kid just single heartedly saved his whole career?

Eventually, claps started for him too, and Mew finally moved from his spot, joining his hands in a Wai and thanking everyone on his way to join Gulf and the rest of the production team.

He was sure that most people didn’t want to receive his Wai, and that made that simple, polite gesture even more thrilling.

No matter what everyone thought or said about him, he had just snatched a second chance.

Gulf welcomed him in the group with his signature smile, looking quite proud of himself, and Mew answered with a big smile of his, feeling like engulfing the boy in a tight hug.

\----

Their first official schedule together turned out to be an interview for Thai Entertainment Portal, around three weeks after auditions.

It was going to be a long one, so they wasted no time and immediately started filming.

The interviewer begun with the expected question about first impressions.

Mew was actually very excited for this. After auditions, he hadn’t really had a chance to interact with Gulf and was anxious to get to know him better. He was particularly interested in his answer to this question, so he went first, giving a brief recap of his general thoughts at the time to get it over with quickly and listen to what Gulf had to say instead.

Gulf, on the other hand, hesitated when his turn came.

“As for me…” he begun, quite timidly, “since Phi is already experienced, but it’s the first time for me, I felt a bit shy,” he admitted.

Mew didn’t move and inch, listening closely. Gulf had already answered one of his questions – the boy knew about him before auditions. Not that it was very surprising. If his fan club following him everywhere hadn’t been a dead giveaway, he was sure that some other actor would have spitefully informed him. Just to warn the new straight guy in the industry.

“But when we acted together, he helped me reach the right emotion so I could pass the audition.”

Mew couldn’t help but huff a laugh. “His ears got so red.”

“Right, my ears were all red,” Gulf agreed.

The interviewer proceeded by asking further details. “Did you ever feel intimidated, since it’s your first time acting, while Mew already has some experience?”

That was actually something Mew was curious about too.

“Ehm…” Gulf thought about it for a second, and Mew was already wondering what could be so difficult to articulate, when the boy threw him completely off by giving an unexpected answer in English.

“No. I think P’Mew will protect me.”

As soon as the meaning of those words registered, Mew felt a surge of warmth spread in his chest. Had he just…? “Really? I will protect you?” he repeated, just to be sure that he had understood properly.

Gulf didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Absolutely.”

Mew couldn’t react at all to those words and the moment passed before he could even start to process what all of it meant.

The interviewer continued with the next question. "In this series you have a lot of hot scenes, right?"

Mew nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Yes." He had yet to finish the first TharnType novel, but he had read enough to know they were consistent throughout the whole story.

"And it's new to you."

"Very new to me," he joked in English. "I have to prepare a lot, it's very new to me," he repeated, making everyone around him laugh. "I'm so scared of it."

The Interviewer then corrected herself, addressing the question specifically to Gulf.

Mew turned to him, curious about his answer.

"Well... since it's the first time I might be nervous and shy at the beginning, but there is an expirienced person right here, isn't there?" Gulf pointed at him with a smile. "I hope he can help me."

_Well played, Gulf_ , he thought, smiling. _Well played._

The interview moved on smoothly, then, finally, another interesting question caught his attention.

"Let me ask Gulf first. Is acting in a BL series your first choice? Or would you rather act in a boy/girl series, if you had the chance?"

Gulf seemed hesitant for a second, his English knowledge failing him. He turned to him to confirm the meaning of the question and finally decided to answer in Thai.

"To be honest, there is no difference between the two to me right now," he stated, and Mew's lips immediately curved upwards hearing that answer. "I think actors should be able to play any character."

That simple answer made Mew feel like he really had chosen the best partner for this job. He was stupidly proud of Gulf and couldn't help but express it with a big smile, a cheesy "awesome", and a ridiculous looking thumb up for emphasis. Such a concise but powerful reply...

He didn't need to hear anything else. He knew all he needed to start the workshop with a light heart.

This series was prospecting to be much more fun than he had anticipated.

\----

The workshop begun that same Sunday, but it concentrated on group activities with all the cast and production team for almost one full week.

Everyone was a bit on edge at the beginning, but their ice breaking games actually helped them relax and get to know each other. Even those who still walked on eggshells around him started to warm up to his presence when they noticed Gulf being so carefree in his company.

Mew was bitter about it for a while, but ultimately decided to concentrate on how warm and welcome Gulf always made him feel.

Even if they had yet to start their couple specific workshop, he and Gulf had already become much closer, and Mew was always happy to be around the kid. It was just so… _easy_. Their relationship was simple, straightforward and pure. They respected and appreciated each other as co-workers and human beings, and, to him, it was a real breath of fresh air.

It was for that same reason, though, that being around Gulf for so many hours every day could also be hard.

Mew was a physical person. If he harbored positive feelings for someone, his body automatically conveyed them for him, without him even noticing.

Things had changed after _that person_ had publicly outed him.

He had become scared of reaching out – afraid that he would mistake the signs, afraid that he might unintentionally force himself on someone or that his intentions would be misunderstood. So he constantly kept his hands in check and made a conscious effort to not stroke Gulf’s hair when he did something cute, or engulf him in an excited hug after the boy made him smile, or simply rest his arm around his shoulders for support. The closer he emotionally got to Gulf, the harder it became to resist.

He treasured the moments where they had to touch each other during a workshop exercise, but never touched the other unprompted. It was probably silly, since they had to start the couple workshop soon, but Gulf didn’t look like a very physical person, and Mew would rather delay the inevitable than make him uncomfortable.

If there was something he had learned from his past experience, it was that a lack of rejection didn’t mean the other person was okay with it, and that the closeness he felt with his partner on set didn’t automatically transfer to real life. Tharn was allowed to touch Type. Mew wasn’t allowed to touch Gulf.

He had learned that lesson the hard way.

What he had yet to learn, though, was to not underestimate Gulf just because he was young and new to the genre.

After a few days spent doing a few generic ice breaking exercises, all the cast was finally given an acting exercise. They were divided in pairs or small groups based on their roles in the series and given a script from a famous movie whose characters were similar to theirs.

When Mew got his script, he wasn’t surprised to find that he and Gulf would have to enact another kiss scene. The script for TharnType wasn’t ready yet, but he could tell from the novels that there wouldn’t be just one or two soft kisses, as it often happened in other BL series.

_Call Me By Your Name – First Kiss_ , he read at the top of the page.

Oh, he knew that one. Mew had watched that movie when it first came out and couldn’t think of any other word to describe it but _intense_.

He lifted his head to gauge Gulf’s reaction. The boy met his eyes for a second with an enigmatic smile. Mew wasn’t sure how to read it, but it didn’t seem like Gulf was put off by their script, so he relaxed.

P’Tee made them sit in a circle, to leave a space wide enough in the middle of the room for all small groups or couples to enact their assigned scene. He asked if someone wanted to watch their original scene for reference and gave those who needed it a phone where they could study their clip.

Mew wondered if Gulf was going to ask for the reference footage, and was intrigued when he didn’t.

They were given 15 minutes to study their lines – not enough to rehearse the scene. Though the scripts weren’t long, getting the hang of it still required some time. Everyone would need to wing it and give their best at first try. Therefore, Mew concentrated on his lines and Gulf did the same next to him. They didn’t get a chance to talk it over, but he personally preferred it that way. He was curious to see how Gulf was going to handle it, especially because he looked way more confident than Mew expected. What was he plotting?

Before he could spend more time dwelling on it, the first couple was called to the middle of the circle.

In less than half an hour all the cast had finished their job, and it was finally his and Gulf’s turn.

In the original scene from _Call Me By Your Name_ , Elio and Oliver, the two main leads, were resting next to each other on a patch of grass, so Gulf laid down on the floor, at the very center of the room, cushioning his head with his hands, while Mew imitated him.

The cast and the staff quieted down to be able to concentrate on their performance.

The director’s “action” came from the side of the room and they were on.

Gulf made himself comfortable, closed his eyes, and sighed contently, the same way it was indicated in the script. With a soft voice, he stated: “ _I love this, Oliver_.”

Mew answered with a long, frustrated huff, conveying just how done his character was with the younger. Then, he finally replied: “ _What?_ ”

Silence stretched between them, creating just the right amount of tension.

“ _Everything?_ ” Gulf’s answer was tentative but also had a note of cheekiness to it.

Mew huffed a laugh and looked away. “ _Us, you mean?_ ”

The boy nodded, his eyes still closed. “ _Mhm. It’s not bad._ ”

Mew turned towards him and stared at his face in wonder for a few seconds. Gulf’s features were completely relaxed, his skin flawless, and the curl of his hair brushing his forehead made him look... pretty.

He sat up, propping himself on one elbow. His eyes followed the curve of Gulf’s forehead, the slope of his nose, the dip of his cupid’s bow… to the most tantalizing pair of lips.

He reached out, to touch them, and trace their plumpness with his fingertip.

Slowly, they parted under his ministrations, warm breath kissing his skin, and Gulf lifted his eyelids to stare at him.

Mew’s fingers stopped moving, his whole being transfixed by those eyes, then the sudden, surprising humid feel of tongue on the tip of his finger made a shiver shot down his back.

He didn’t have to think about the script to grab Gulf’s chin and turn his head towards him – it came to him naturally, as if by second nature.

Gulf sat up, bringing his face closer. _To fake the kiss_ , Mew thought, because that was what they were supposed to do during a workshop. Fake it. Imitate one without touching.

But the glint in Gulf’s eyes was all wrong, he realized, and suddenly they were closer than required.

He was given no time to brace himself at all.

With a heated stare and a slight tilt of his head, Gulf closed the remaining distance and pressed their lips together. _For real_.

Mew’s breath caught in shock, echoed by the rest of the room.

_What… why…_

Gulf moved his mouth with intent, as if unhappy of his lack of reaction, and Mew unconsciously parted his lips to accommodate him.

Then, it wasn’t just lips pressing together anymore.

It was a real kiss.

Wet and heated and absolutely addicting.

Mew only managed to come back to his senses when their tongues actually slided on each other, making his stomach tighten so badly that he _had_ to break the kiss by turning his head away.

Gulf settled back next to him.

“ _Better now?_ ” he remember to ask, after breathing raggedly in, but his voice came out way huskier than it was supposed to.

Their scene wasn’t finished.

Gulf had just made it a bit more real than expected, but he sure wasn’t going to let a damn newbie outperform him.

Gulf hesitated, pretending to play with a strand of grass as Elio would have done, to feign nonchalance.

A moment passed, then the boy was lunging on Mew, stealing another kiss like he couldn’t go without.

Mew felt another thrill run down his spine, but he didn’t break character, pushing Gulf away almost immediately. “ _No, no, no_ ,” he murmured, turning away from the boy. “ _We should go_.”

“ _What?_ ”

“ _I know myself_ ,” he continued, while Gulf sat properly next to him with a cross expression. “ _And we have been good. We haven’t done anything to be ashamed of, and that’s a good thing_.”

Gulf looked away like a stubborn child who had just been denied his favorite toy.

“ _I want to be good, okay?_ ”

The boy nodded, looking at the floor, but moved slowly and purposefully closer to his legs.

Mew followed his every move, without stopping him.

Only when Gulf straddled him, his hands grabbed the boy’s waist, to keep him balanced and at distance at the same time.

He remembered that scene in the movie. Elio was actually supposed to grab Oliver between the legs, but the script had been changed for obvious reasons. That would have been going a bit too far for a workshop. Kissing for real was already going too far!

Gulf breathed in and out noisily to convey the desperation of his character, his eyes dark and molten. “ _Am I offending you?_ ” he asked, his voice low.

Ah, shit. Mew was mesmerized. The urge to kiss those red lips again hit him so hard he almost swayed with it. He rested one of his hands on Gulf’s cheek before he could remember that he wasn’t supposed to, but Gulf didn’t flinch away, surprised by his improvisation. On the contrary, he closed his eyes and nuzzled the palm of his hand.

Before he knew it, Mew’s fingers were tracing his swollen lips again and they were staring at each other in wonder.

Mew dropped his hand and looked away, finally pronouncing his final line. “ _Just don’t_.”

The silence around them stretched for a few more seconds, then, at last, the director called “cut” and Mew started to breathe again.

Gulf rolled away from him to lay back on the floor, with a big smile stretching his lips, while the entire room erupted in claps and in incredulous “have you seriously just kissed for real?!”.

Mew covered his eyes with his hands in shock, trying to come back to his senses. “You could have warned me,” he growled in Gulf’s general direction.

The boy had the nerve to laugh. “It was more realistic this way, wasn’t it?”

Mew immediately sat up, outraged. “People don’t usually kiss for real during workshops!”

Gulf seemed taken aback from his reaction. “I thought you wouldn’t mind, since you’ve already done it before,” he explained.

He deflated. “It’s not like I _minded_ , I was just… surprised. I thought you would be more… reluctant, since it’s your first time and all.”

“It’s my first time kissing _a man_ , not my first kiss. I’m quite talented, aren’t I?” was his cheeky answer.

Mew couldn’t believe his ears. He sputtered for a second, unable to come up with an appropriate reply to that statement and Gulf laughed quietly at him.

Before Mew could scold him for it, the rest of the cast interrupted them with a million questions and comments and they had to move on with the workshop, but he didn’t forget that affront.

Had Gulf just issued… a challenge?

Because if that was the case, he was going to show the little shit what real talent was.

**Author's Note:**

> Click [here](https://psychomilk.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/tharn-type-v1.jpg?w=600) to see one of the pictures actually taken that day by Mew's fan club!


End file.
